Thirty years ago, business owners wondered how they ever got by without the
telephone. Twenty years ago, it was the fax machine. Just ten years ago,
corporate players marveled at life before email and today, successful
business people can't imagine life without audio and web conferencing. 

This latest technological breakthrough has had a huge impact on the
corporate scene. Unlike typical conference calls, audio and web conferencing
offers a full-featured solution for conducting on-demand meetings anywhere
in the world, at any time. It is now feasible and affordable for companies
to exchange ideas and get valuable real-time input, without the inordinate
expenses or hassles of travel. 

The Basics 

Before delving into the finer aspects of audio and web conferencing, it is
important to understand a few terms. "Conferencing" refers to a discussion
that occurs between a group of individuals, where ideas are exchanged and
data are shared via a communication technology. The phrase "web
conferencing" means that the whole conferencing system is hosted or
conducted in a web environment, specifically a web server or application. 

Audio inputs are a basic feature of web conferencing. Peripheral devices are
added to the computer in order to facilitate voice communication between
conference participants. Devices like headphones and microphones soon gave
birth to a type of communication called audio and web conferencing. 

An audio and web conferencing system behaves basically like a telephone
setup. It is a more economical version of phone or conference calling, but
rather than establishing complicated telephone systems to confer with your
staff in different office locations, you can now make use of the audio and
web conferencing system. This is an economical way to keep your business
moving while minimizing lost time and expensive travel and meeting room
costs. 

There are a number of key features in using an audio and web conferencing
system. 

The first and most obvious benefit is the easy-to-use audio controls. Most
audio and web conferencing vendors will offer intuitive controls for audio,
allowing you to easily control your audio meeting using your telephone
keypad or a form of web-based audio control panel. You are given a wide
range of options including the ability to mute lines, take roll call and
lock or terminate the conference. 

Not all audio and web conferencing programs utilize the existing telephone
system, but some do. With integrated, low-cost phone systems, these audio
and web conferencing applications allow you to use your phone to discuss,
share, negotiate and collaborate with your clients and fellow employees. 

Many audio and web conferencing tools offer easy setup, and most are
intuitive with user-oriented interfaces. Some are integrated into popular
desktop items, such as Microsoft Outlook email programs. 

Meetings on demand have never been easier. For some, they've never been
possible. Now, thanks to audio and web conferencing, with a click of the
mouse you can launch a meeting right when you need it. 


About The Author 

Daniel Davis contributes to several Internet magazines, including
http://zylep.com and http://bekad.com.